Optimization of bio-char production from chicken manure wastes pyrolysis and investigation of application areas

Chicken manure wastes, which are abundant in our country, have been converted into solid product with application potential in the fluidized and fixed bed reactor by pyrolysis method. In the first stage of the studies, thermogravimetric analysis of chicken manure wastes was carried out at different heating rates (5, 10, 15, 20 ºC/min) in an inert nitrogen atmosphere and pyrolysis kinetics of raw chicken manure wastes were investigated. Activation energies (E) and frequency factor (ko) values were determined using the Distributed Activation Energy Model (DAEM). Analysis techniques such as FTIR, proximate and elemental, TGA-FTIR and EDS were used for characterization of raw chicken manure waste. In the second stage of the studies, Response Surface Method based on Central Composite Design was used to determine optimum pyrolysis conditions of chicken manure wastes in both reactors by using fluidized and fixed bed reactor systems. For this purpose, firstly, pyrolysis of chicken manure wastes in fluidized and fixed bed reactor systems were carried out and the effect of reaction temperature (200-500 °C), heating rate (5–20 °C/min) and reaction time (30-120 min) on the surface area of the bio-char was investigated. Optimum conditions in fluidized and fixed bed reactor were determined 400 and 440 °C reaction temperature, 5 and 6 °C/min heating rate, 110 and 115-min reaction time, respectively.In the last stage of the study, bio-char products produced under optimum conditions in fluidized and fixed bed rectors were activated with acid and base respectively. Techniques such as FTIR, EDS and BET analysis were used to characterize raw and activated biochar products. After characterizing raw and activated biochar products, different application areas (energy conversion and gas emission applications, determination of CO2 capture capacities and investigation of dye removal) were investigated.